Dispensing container for tooth powder and the like



Jan. 1, 1935. M. E. LUTHER DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR TOOTH POWDER AND THE LIKE Filed May 51, 1932 Patented Jan. I, 1935 PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR TOOTH POWDER AND THE LIKE Melvin E. Luther, Chicago, Ill. Application May 31, 1932, Serial No. 614,338 5 Claims. (Cl. 221104) This invention relates to dispensing containers for tooth powder and the like, the object being to provide an improved article of this character which is simple in construction and inexpensive- 5 ly produced, yet practical for the packaging and commercial'distribution and the convenience of the user of powdered substances or preparations, more particularly tooth powder; to produce a sanitary container having means for delivering 10 measured quantities of the contents and applying the powder to a brush so as to minimize waste; to peculiarly form the container so that minimum shelf or other storage space is required and the proper handling .of the container in the delivery 15 of the contents is facilitated; and to attain certain other advantages as will hereinafter more fully appear. v

The invention consists in the novel construction, and in the parts and combinations and ar- 20 rangements of parts hereinafter described and pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention,-

25 Fig. l is a view of the container, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, showing the delivery means inretracted and closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the delivery 30 means in extended and fully opened condition;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the delivery element detached;

3 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, partly in end elevation and partly in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the delivery element, taken on or about the line 66 of Fig. 2;

40 Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section "of a modification of the reciprocatory deliveryelemen't;'

Fig. 8 is a sectionon the line '8-8-of Fig. -7; Fig. 9 is a sectionv onthe'line 9-9' f- Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is an end view of an ordinary tooth brush andshowin'g, indott'ed-lines, thecore or body. of powder applied thereto.

' Referring-now to' the drawing, thenumeral- 10 50 designates generally the body member of the container whichyas shownf is'relatively flat and' substantially rectangular in form, hav g the opposite side wall portions 11,12, which merge? with a flattened rectangular mar i al; wan 1'3,

.5 said sidewall portion's'll and-*1: extending sub delivery element 2.1.

stantially perpendicular or in square relation to said marginal wall 13 for a considerable portion of their width and thence converging slightly and merging in a rounded marginal wall 14 opposed to the wall 13. The body member 10 also has a flat end wall 15, the opposite end of the body being. open and formed with an external bead a slight distance inwardly from its margin and affording a stop for a closure member 16 which is formed at 16 as a counterpart of 10 the external'contours of the wall portions 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the body member. In practice the cap member is, of course, fitted tightly over the end portion of the body member and held in place by frictional engagement, or any 15 approved method of fastening. In this connection it is here noted that, in some cases, the portion of the container included in the cap member 16 may be formed integrally with the body portion 10 and have the end wall 15 applied 20 after the container is filled. However, this may obviously be done in accordance with any ap-' proved common practice. It is, therefore, deemed unnecessary to illustrate the same in the drawing. The cap member 16 is formed with a reduced longitudinal end extension 17 at the side in the 1 region of its portion which coincides with the rounded marginal wall 14 and adjacent side wall portions 11 and 12 of the body member 10, and a portion of said extension 17 being tapered roundingly, as at 18, whereby to produce an inwardly flared hopper-like chamber 19 in which the contents of the body portion 10 are received when the container is stood on end to fill the delivery device, which will now be described.

In the end wallof the extension 17 is a semicircular opening which is surrounded by a correspondingly formed external collaror neck flange 20, through which worksa longitudinally slidable This delivery element, as shown, is formed in general cross-section'asa counterpartto fit rather snugly, though-slidably,*

, in said collar portion 20 whereby: to effectively 1 close the container in boththe retractedi'or closed and-extendedor opened positions :of the delivery element 21. As shown in Figs-Ito 6; inclusive, of i the drawing, the delivery elementmaylbe formed solidly-a-ndintegrally', or, it may bermade hollow: J I 'andof sheet metal, as shownin Figs. 7 to-9, incluiv andaccomplished practically by die stampmaterial.,- 7

l ng and forming operations froma single piece of '1- Attire endioftheg; delivery elem ent 2lis a flange 22 which constitutes a knob or handle for convenience in manipulating the delivery element 21, the adjacent body portion 23 closing the opening through the collar when the delivery element is in retracted or closed position. Likewise, the inner end portion 24 of the delivery element 21 closes said opening when said element is in extended or opened position. Between said end portions 23 and 24 the delivery element is provided with a longitudinally elongated depression or pocket 25 which, as shown, is rounded in crosssection, and whose end walls 26 and 27 are preferably somewhat upwardly fiared to permit the ready dumping of powder from the pocket.

Rotation of the delivery element 21 is prevented by the counterpart semi-cylindrical cross-sectional form of the collar 20 through which said element 21 reciprocates longitudinally, and by fitting the element 21 relatively tight in the collar not only does the friction normally prevent accidental movement of the element 21, but further guiding and steadying means are unnecessary. However, if desired, the adjacent wall portions of the container extension 1'7 may be formed or provided with supplemental guide means, as by crimping the side walls or in any other approved way, which, being quite obvious, is not illustrated in the drawing.

Preferably, the inner end portion of the delivery element 21 is beveled, as at 28, whereby to operate with a plough-like cutting and displacing effect through the body of powder in the hopper chamber 19 during the inward movement of said element 21. The advantage of this is the breaking of lumpy particles and prevention of undue packing of the powder in the hopper, as well as defleeting the flow of powder so that it readily enters the pocket 25 of the delivery element. Any suitable means may be employed for limiting the outward movement of the delivery element 21. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 of the drawing, a pin or stud 29 is provided on the upper side of the inner end portion of the element 21, while in the modification illustrated in Fig. 7 a shoulder 30 is formed integrally on the element in the same location as said pin or stud 29, except that said shoulder extends substantially the entire width of the element (see Fig. 8). In either case, the stop member abuts the end wall of the extension 1"! of the container adjacent the top of the opening through which the element 21 slides.

When the container is placed for storage upon a shelf within a medicine or toilet cabinet or other supportit may be conveniently stood on the flat end portion 15, in which position but little supporting surface is taken up, or, obviously, in some cases, it may be stood on the flat marginal wall 13 or laid flatwise on one of the sides 11 or 12, which is of material advantage, but the peculiar shape of the container is of further and important advantage in the handling of the container in use, as the rounding of the marginal wall 14 and tapering of the adjacent portions of the side walls 11. and 12 provide for the convenient grasping of the article in the hand of the user, and the peculiar formation of the reduced extension 1'7 and hopper portion of the cap member 16 further facilitates the handling of the container in the manipulation of the delivery element 21.

Normally, the delivery element 21 is in retracted or closed position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and when it is desired to deliver some of the powder from the container it is held with the cap member 16 downward, whereupon the powder is received in the hopper chamber 19 and the pocket 25 of the retracted delivery element 21 becomes 'efiect of the fiat upper edge of the opening in the end wall of the extension 17 as the delivery element 21 moves outwardly. As the delivery element 21 is non-rotative, the powder is dumped from the pocket 25 by turning the container bodily to bring the rounded marginal wall portion 14 downwardly, whereupon the core of powder drops fiat side,downward from the pocket 25 of the delivery element 21, it being obvious that a tooth brush may be conveniently held in a position with its bristles alined below the delivery element 21, in which relation the powder from the pocket 25 is deposited directly onto the brush. Even should the powder for any reason have a tendency to stick within the pocket 25. it is readily dislodged by slightly tapping the extended and inverted delivery element 21, or otherwise causing vibration, as by shaking the container. The application of the delivered core or body of powder to the tooth brush is illustrated conventionally in Fig. 10 of the drawing wherein the brush is shown in end elevation and positioned with its bristles disposed upwardly, asat 31, and

the applied powder is indicated by the semi- :1.

circular dotted line 32.

In the use of the container it is noted that the delivery element 21 always delivers a measured quantity oi the powder and, of course, undue waste is thereby avoided, particularly due to the flattened side of the powder core which effectively overcomes any tendency for the core to roll off the brush as might otherwise occur, should, for example, the core be substantially cylindrical or other than fiat faced. At the same time the powder remaining in the container is preserved from undue deterioration, as the container is effectively closed in both the retracted or closed and extended or opened positions of the delivery element; and, aside from the advantage in the peculiar form of the container whereby the proper positioning of the delivery element 21 in use is governed, there is a further advantage of complete sanitation.

An essential feature of the invention is delivery of a flat faced core or body or powder, but not absolutely limited to a semi-cylindrical crosssection, for while such cross-section is ideal both as to practicability in form of core and means of producing it, the same result may be attained through polygonal cross-sectioning approximating the semi-cylindrical, or'the equivalent thereof. I

- The structure illustrated in the drawing is for demonstrating a practical adaptation of the invention and, obviously, many changes and modifications may be made without in the least departing from the spirit-and scope of the invention "as set forth in the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A dispensing container for tooth powder and the like comprising a. shell provided with an out- L the shell properly for the delivery movement of the delivery member. I

2. A dispensing container for tooth powder and the like, comprising a relatively flat body shell formed at one end and one right marginal side for the supporting of the shell, the opposite right marginal side being rounded, said container having a longitudinal extension from its end opposite its supporting end and in the region of its rounded marginal right side, said extension having a delivery opening at its outer end, and a reciprocatory delivery element operable through said delivery opening, said delivery element having inner and outer end portions respectively adapted to form a closure for said opening, and having a pocket intermediate its ends adapted to deliver a measured quantity of the contents of the container when said delivery element is moved outwardly.

3. The herein described dispensingcontainer for tooth powder and the like, comprising a relatively flat container shell, one end of whichis closed, the opposite end being open, said closed end and one right marginal side being adapted to support the container, the opposite right marginal side of the shell being rounded, a cap for the open end of said body shell having a hopper'chamber in free communication'with the body shell and a longitudinal extension in the region of the rounded right side of the shell, said extension having a non-circular flanged opening at its outer end, and 'a reciprocatory delivery element fitted to slide longitudinally through said flanged opening, the outer and inner end portions of said delivery element being substantially counterpart and respectively adapted to close said opening, said delivery element having a longitudinally elongated pocket intermediate its ends for the reception and delivery of a measured quantity of the contents of the container.

4. In a dispensing container of the character described, a relatively flat body shell closed at one end and open at its opposite end, the closed end and one right marginal side being flattened whereby 'to support the container in correspondingly perpendicular positions, the opposite right marginal side 01 the container being rounded, a cap member for the open end of said body shell, said cap member being formed with opposite sides and flat and rounded side marginal walls in counterpart of the corresponding walls of the body shell, said cap member having a longitudinal extension at one side in the region of the rounded right side of the body shell, said cap member having a curved tapering wall merging with the cap extension and the flat right marginal wall, said extension having a non-circular flanged opening at its outer end, and a delivery element formed and adapted to slide longitudinally through said flanged opening but without rotative movement therein, the inner and outer end portions of said delivery element being substantially counterpart and respectively afiording a closure for said flanged opening, said delivery element intermediate its ends being formed with a depression to constitute a longitudinally elongated pocket for receiving and delivering a measured quantity of the contents of the container.

5. In a device of the character described, a

container shell having a semi-circular opening therein with its flat chordal side uppermost, a counterpart supporting and guiding collar surrounding said opening, and a reciprocatory delivery element of counterpart transverse circumferential form fitted to slide longitudinally through said opening and collar, the inner and outer end portions of said element affording a closure for the container, and said delivery element having a longitudinal pocket in its flat side between its end portions.

MELVIN E. LUTHER. 

